Keap: what it is, how it works & who it's for

Small business CRM with email automation, payments and appointment booking

Updated · Pricing checked October 2026

Keap was acquired by Thryv and now operates as a Thryv, Inc. brand.

What is Keap?

Keap is a CRM and marketing automation platform for small businesses that combines contact management, email and text marketing, sales pipelines, appointment booking and payments. It is designed for service businesses, coaches and other small companies that want to capture leads, follow up automatically and get paid from one system. Keap has served small businesses since 2001 and is now a brand of Thryv, Inc.

The platform centers on automation. Tags, lead scoring and pre-built templates let a business trigger emails, texts and tasks based on what each contact does. Keap AI helps draft content. Instead of tiered feature plans, Keap now sells one all-inclusive plan with two users, implementation services and a dedicated customer success manager, with extra contacts, users and text volume priced on top.

Keap at a glance

Keap infographic: how it works in 5 steps, key features, pricing model and who it is best for
Keap at a glance. Share or embed this infographic with a link to this page.

How does Keap work?

  1. Onboard with Keap's team

    Implementation services cover strategy, data import and migration so the account is set up for your business. A dedicated customer success manager guides the setup.

  2. Capture leads

    Publish landing pages and forms that add new contacts to the CRM with tags and lead scores. Lead scores help you see who is most engaged.

  3. Automate follow-up

    Use pre-built or custom automations to send emails and texts, assign tasks and move leads through the pipeline. Automation history shows exactly what each contact received.

  4. Book and sell

    Let clients schedule appointments, then send quotes, invoices and checkout forms, including recurring payments. Checkout forms let clients pay online straight away.

  5. Review and retain

    Track results in reports, send billing reminders and request Google reviews from happy customers. Internal forms and task automation help with operations.

Keap key features

CRM and lead scoring

Contact records with tags, custom fields, lead scores and a full automation history.

Email marketing and automation

Broadcasts, one-to-one emails and multi-step automations built from templates or from scratch.

Text marketing

Add SMS to automations in the US, with a base tier included and higher volumes as paid add-ons.

Payments and invoicing

Quotes, invoices, checkout forms and recurring payments tied to each contact.

Appointment scheduling

Online booking that syncs with your calendar and triggers follow-up automations.

Landing pages and forms

Build lead capture pages and forms without a separate tool.

Keap AI

An AI assistant that helps write marketing emails and other content.

Why use Keap?

  • Marketing, sales, scheduling and payments run from one platform.
  • Automation templates help small teams follow up consistently without extra staff.
  • Implementation help and a dedicated success manager are included.
  • Thousands of apps connect through the Keap marketplace and API.
  • A single plan avoids comparing feature tiers.
  • A dedicated business phone line, Keap Business Line, keeps client calls and texts separate from personal numbers.

Who is Keap best for?

A good fit for

  • Service-based small businesses
  • Coaches, consultants and course creators
  • Owners who want help setting up automation
  • Businesses that take payments and bookings online

Less suited to

  • Solo operators on a tight budget, since the plan starts near $250 per month
  • Large sales teams that need advanced enterprise CRM features
  • Businesses outside the US that rely on text marketing

Keap pricing

Pricing modelSubscription
Free planNo
Free trialFree trial with sending limits
Starting price$249/month billed annually ($2,988/year); $299/month billed monthly

The plan includes two users, with extra users at $39/month each and more contacts priced in tiers. Text marketing beyond the included tier costs from $24/month, and cancelling an annual contract early carries a $299 fee.

Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Keap pricing page before you buy.

Keap pros and cons

Pros

  • Strong small business automation
  • Built-in payments and scheduling
  • Hands-on onboarding and US-based support

Cons

  • High starting price for very small businesses
  • Text marketing is limited to the US
  • Early termination fee on annual contracts

Keap integrations and platforms

Works with

  • Google (review requests)
  • Keap Marketplace

Available on

  • Web
  • API

Keap alternatives

Keap FAQ

How much does Keap cost?

Keap sells one all-inclusive plan priced at $299 per month billed monthly, or $2,988 per year when billed annually, which works out to about $249 per month. It includes two users and implementation services. Additional users cost $39 per month, and larger contact lists cost more. Extra text marketing volume is sold in tiers starting at $24 per month.

Is Keap free?

No. Keap has no free plan, but it offers a free trial with no credit card required. The trial limits sending to 25 emails and does not include payment processing or text messages, so it is best for exploring the interface and automations. The trial is useful for testing the automation builder and CRM layout before signing up.

What is Keap used for?

Keap is used by small businesses to manage contacts, capture leads, automate email and text follow-up, book appointments, send invoices and collect payments. It suits service businesses and coaches that want to turn inquiries into paying clients with less manual work. Many users also rely on the built-in reports and pre-built automation templates to measure and repeat what works.

Keap vs HubSpot: what's the difference?

Keap is aimed at small service businesses and bundles CRM, automation, scheduling and payments in one plan with hands-on onboarding. HubSpot offers a free CRM and modular hubs that scale to larger teams. Keap suits owners who want a done-with-you setup, while HubSpot suits teams wanting a broader suite. Pricing also differs: Keap uses one main plan, while HubSpot uses several tiers per hub.

Who owns Keap?

Keap is a brand of Thryv, Inc., which acquired the company. Keap is based in Grapevine, Texas, and has been serving small businesses since 2001. The product continues to operate under the Keap name with its own pricing and support. Support includes US-based phone support and 24/7 chat.

Sources

This overview is based on Keap's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.